1. Field of Inventive Concept
The present general inventive concept relates to a control apparatus, and more particularly, to a safety device for a joystick type control apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Monocontrol apparatus, of the type commonly referred to as “control columns” and/or “joysticks” (hereinafter “joysticks”), wherein movement of a single lever or an analogous control member can initiate and/or terminate a plurality of operations, are known in the art. Typically, a joystick includes a lever which is hinged or otherwise rotatably mounted at a base end thereof to an input device. Movement of the lever about the base end causes the input device to transmit a signal, for example, by completing and/or opening discrete electric circuits or by effecting translator, angular or other movements of links, gears, or analogous motion transmitting parts, in order to allow the input device to communicate a command from an operator of the joystick in response to movement of the lever in relation to the input device.
Joysticks have long been used as the principal control device for many types of vehicles, such as for example civilian and military aircraft. Furthermore, the employment of joysticks has become commonplace in many industrial and manufacturing applications, such as in cranes, assembly lines, forestry equipment, mining trucks, excavators, and other such heavy equipment. In such applications, unintentional movement of the joystick, such as can occur through unintentional collision with the joystick by a user, for example, during entry or exit of a cockpit of a piece of heavy equipment, can often result in unintentional miss-operation of the heavy equipment, which can in extreme instances lead to unexpected accidents and/or injury. Accordingly, a safety device which limits the ability of a joystick device to respond to unintentional movement of the joystick is desired.